Debt collection held steady as the second ranked consumer complaint reported to the Federal Trade Commission, according to the federal agency's 2014 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, which was released Friday.

Total lawsuits filed under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act rose in January while lawsuits citing violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act fell. The numbers reverse a trend from the past three years.

Jack Hartings is a vocal proponent of reduced regulation for small banks. But the CEO of Peoples Bank in Ohio wants Washington to force other industries to share the burden of improving cybersecurity and cleaning up after breaches.

First National Community Bancorp in Dunmore, Pa., will pay $1.5 million to resolve issues tied to the Bank Secrecy Act.

Fresh questions are being asked about the role of investors in the rental market and how their eventual exit may impact mortgage lending, property values and the economic recovery.

BancorpSouth in Tupelo, Miss., is planning to add a former Bank of America executive to its board.

CVB Financial in Ontario, Calif., will take a small hit in the first quarter after repaying a Federal Home Loan Bank advance.

Pamela Joseph, U.S. Bancorp's vice chair of payment services and a 10-year veteran of the Minneapolis-based bank, plans to retire in mid-2015.

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Summit Financial Group in Moorefield, W.Va., has been freed from a five-year regulatory order.

Bancorp of New Jersey in Fort Lee is looking to raise $9.5 million through a private placement.

Bankwell Financial Group in New Canaan, Conn., didn't have to look far to find a permanent leader.

Amid heartbreaking tales told by distressed homeowners and reverse mortgage holders, many community groups praised OneWest CEO Joseph Otting for spending time speaking to them and hearing their communities' concerns.

Bank of America said former Chairman Charles O. Holliday is leaving the board of directors along with Clayton S. Rose.

The Federal Housing Administration's recent premium reduction is undercutting the private sector and expanding the government's role in the housing market, housing finance industry representatives told a House subcommittee on Thursday.

A court-imposed deadline for American Express to negotiate a fix to its merchant rules with the Department of Justice is about three weeks away. Odds of a deal are said to be low, heightening uncertainty — and fueling debate — about how the showdown will affect the future of the credit card business.

Plumas Bank in Quincy, Calif., is looking to convert its loan-production office in Reno, Nev., into a full-service branch.

Prosper Marketplace, an online lender for consumer loans, has found a new source of referrals: community banks.

The Bank of England will research whether issuing a digital currency such as Bitcoin would help it achieve its monetary policy, financial stability and regulatory goals.

The Northeast has always been a competitive market for deposit gathering. Loan growth and the potential for rising interests are forcing banks in the region to find new ways to bring in low-cost liquidity.